Switch device for spotlights



Feb. 21, ]l39 N. A. TORNBLOM SWITCH DEVICE FOR SPOTLIGHTS Filed Jan. 18, 1937 y /Ev /5 i y WiwmmaV/e Ig y im n

Patented Feb. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES swrrcn DEVICE Fon sroruenrs Nils A. Tornblom, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Appleton Electric Company, a. corporation of Illinois Application January 18, 1937, Serial No. 121,081

2 Claims.

In Patent No. l1,794,133 there is disclosed a so-called spotlight in which the lamp proper is rotated about one axis by bodily rotating a tubular supporting shaft on which it is mounted,

and is oscillated about a different axis by means of reciprocable rack bars extending lengthwise through the tubular supporting shaft from the lamp end to the opposite end at which a handle is provided. In that device there is a switch mounted outside of the handle end for controlling the lamp circuit. The object of the present invention is to improve the switch and the wiring, to improve the same not only in operation and reliability but in appearance, as well.

In the device of the aforesaid patent there is a wire extending from the lamp through the tubular supporting shaft; this wire being carried to the exterior of the shaft at the handle end and being there connected to the switch from which leads a second wire, Thus, there are two wires visible and, when the switch is to be detached from the handle removed from the shaft, it is necessary to loosen a screw by which the wire in the tubular shaft is connected to the 25 switch.

One of the objects of, the present invention is completely to conceal the wire that extends through the tubular shaft and, at the same time, make provision for connecting this wire to the switch by the mere act of securing the switch to the handle or in assembling the handle on the end of the tubular shaft, with the switch already attached thereto.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a side View of a complete spotlight and its mounting, embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a section, on a much larger scale, on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section at right angles to the plane of Fig. 2; and Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 'l are views on a still largerscale, taken respectively on lines 4-4, 5 5, 6-6 and 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Aside from the certain changes in the wiring and in the manual controlling switch, the spotlight structure illustrated may be the same as that illustrated in the aforesaid patent; and, in any event, it comprises a lamp proper I supported on one end of a tubular shaft 2 for ro- (Cl. 24U-61.11)

tation `about twolaxes at right angles to each other; one axis being the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and the other being an axis at right angles to said longitudinal axis. The last mentioned rotary movements are brought about by a pair of reciprocable rack bars 3 and d extending lengthwise through the tubular shaft. The rack bars are reciprocated in unison, but in opposite directions from each other by an interposed pinion 5 on the upper end of a rotatable member 6 adapted to be grasped in the hand for the purpose of turning the tubular shaft about its long axis or for the purpose of reciprocating the rack bars while the shaft remains stationary, or to carry out both of these purposes simultaneously. The member 6 is mounted on and projects from a hollow head l which, with the member 6 may be said to constitute the handle; the head in the member 6 being removable as a unit from the end of the tubular shaft.

In the rear end of the tubular shaft is fitted a plug 8 of insulating material divided on a longitudinal plane into two halves grooved at their meeting faces to provide passages through which cylindrical stem portions of the rack bars 3 and 4 extend. Surrounding and fitting tightly about the projecting end of the plug 8 is a metal ring 9 which is held in spaced relation to the end of the shaft so that the ring and the shaft are insulated from each other. The insulated conductor I0 that extends through the length of the tubular shaft is carried out through the rear end of the shaft in a peripheral groove Il, in one of the halves of the plug 8 and, at the ring 9, the conductor is bared and soldered or otherwise permanently joined to the ring. In one side of the head member 'I is a recess I2 in which is seated a little slab I3 of insulating material that carries the parts of a switch. The material of the head member is cut away at the forward end of this recess to provide access to the chamber within the head, the chamber as a whole being designated by the reference character I5. The insulating block I3 is secured to the head by a post I6 `extending through the same and having a short section Il of reduced diameter at the inner end screwed into the wall forming the bottom of the recess I2. On the outer end of the post is a head or enlargement I8 between which and the outer face of the block I3 lies the shank I9 of a little switch lever or finger piece 2|); the post forming a journal bearing about which the switch lever or nger piece may turn. There is a second post 2l extending through the forward portion of the insulating block, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 6. One end of this post is flush with the inner face of the block while the outer end projects from the block and serves as the stationary contact piece of the switch. The inner end of the post 2| is tubular and is internally screw threaded. A screw 22 passes through one end of a contact linger 23 and into the tubular part of the post. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the free end of the contact finger is bent backwardly upon itself on the side toward the switch block I3 and, from the body portion of the finger, near the bend, are two oppositely disposed projecting ears or wings 24 that are also bent outwardly with the plane of the part of the nger to which they are attached. The contact finger is of such length that when the handle is secured in proper position on the end of the tubular shaft, with the switch block secured in the recess in the head, the free end of the finger in the vicinity of the wings is yieldingly pressed against the ring 9. In other words, the stationary contact piece ZI is electrically connected to the wire in the tubular shaft, so that when the element 2I is electrically connected to the outside conductor 25, the lamp circuit is completed.

The conductor 25 may be the usual insulated wire covered with a flexible metal sheathing. This conductor is led up to the spotlight fixture and, as shown in Fig. 1, is held in fixed relation to the tubular shaft by a clamp 26 surrounding the conductor and the shaft a short distance from the forward or inner end of the head 'I. From the clamp the conductor runs lengthwise of the shaft to the head 1 where it enters a passage or tunnel 21 extending lengthwise of the head in front of the switch and opening into the chamber I5. The tunnel may conveniently be formed by providing the head 'I with a longitudinal rib or bead 28 extending from the recess 1 to the` forward end of the head and boring a hole lengthwise through the rib or bead and the underlying wall of the head. The end of the conductor 25 is carried rearwardly and outwardly above the forward end of the switch block I3, where the bared wire is soldered or otherwise secured to a terminal 29 fixed to and lying on the outer side of the switch block. Attached to or .integral with the terminal 29 is' a strip 30 of spring metal that is bent into a U shape, one arm of the U being anchored by the terminal and the other arm being free. The parts are so proportioned that the stationary Contact piece 2I lies between and in spaced relation to both of the arms of the part 30. The end of the free arm of the part 30 is bent inwardly and backward, as indicated at 3l, near to and past the stationary contact piece 2I. Provision is made to cause the element 3l to be pressed against the stationary contact piece when the switch lever or finger piece is shifted in the clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 3, engagement being through a wiping action of the element 3I against the stationary Contact piece in order to maintain clean contact faces. arrangement shown, the shank of the switch lever or finger piece extends from one side of the axis of rotation to the other and is there provided with a nose or projection 32. Lying between the nose or projection 32 and the free arm of the switch element 30, is an arm 33 hinged at one end to the switch block, as at 34, and having its other end free. On the part 33, near its free end, is a block of insulating material 35 which rests against the side of the free arm of In the the switch element 3U. The parts are so proportioned that when the switch lever or finger piece is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the member 33 acts as a spring, bearing against the piece of insulation 35, to press the arm 33 against the nose on the switch lever and thus yieldingly hold the lever in that position. When the lever is swung down, as viewed in Fig. 3, the nose 32 presses the arm 33 toward the left and closes the switch; the center of pressure now being such that the spring action of the movable switch element holds the nger piece in its down position. Suitable stops are provided to limit the swinging movement of the switch lever and it is against these stops that the lever is yieldingly held after being brought into either of its extreme positions.

The greater part of the switch block has a cover over the same, only the rear portion thereof,

across which the outer end of the switch lever travels, being left exposed. This cover comprises simply a plate 36 of insulating material having on one side thereof an edge flange 37 that rests against the outer face of the switch block I3; the cover being held in place by a screw 38 passing through the body of the cover and into the post I6. The flange is omitted at the rear end of the cover to provide an opening through which the switch lever extends and in which it may oscillate. However, the flange may terminate at the two rear ends in thickened post-like portions 39 against which the switch lever or finger piece may strike, land which thus serve as the stops to which I have previously referred.

It will thus be seen that I have produced a wiring and switch system for automobile spotlights, in which there is only a single exposed conductor; in which the switch is mounted upon the outside of the handle so that it may be removed at will without, however, requiring the loosening of any fastening between the switch and the concealed conductor within the spotlight shaft; and in which the switch need only be mounted upon a. handle already in position to complete the connection between the same and the concealed conductor or, in order to produce the same result, be rst mounted on the handle and the handle be then applied to the shaft. Furthermore, the elements of the switch proper are all exposed to view upon the removal of the partial cover for the switch block, without disturbing any of' the adjustments; whereby the switch elements may be inspected at any time and adjustments be made if needed. It therefore follows that the construction as a whole is very simple, comprises a minimum number of parts, and is rugged and durable; and, furthermore, because there is only one exposed conductor which adds greatly to the attractiveness and neatness of the device, there is only one-half as much danger of a breakdown through the disturbance or disarrangement of a conductor as is the case when they are two exposed conductors; it being of course understood that when T. speak of conductors I means suitably insulated and armored wires.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a spotlight fixture, a tubular lamp-supporting shaft, a chambered handle fixed on an end of the shaft with its chamber in communication with the interior of the shaft, a longitudinally divided plug of insulating material fitted into the said end of the shaft and projecting into said chamber, a reciprccable lampoperating element extending lengthwise through said shaft and between the sections of the plug, a metal element on said projecting end of the plug in spaced relation to the shaft, a conductor forming part of the lamp circuit extending through the interior of the shaft and connected to said metal element, said handle having an opening from said chamber through the side of the handle, a switch device overlying said onen ing and having a terminal contacting with said metal element.

2. In a spot light xture, a tubular lamp supporting shaft, a handle fixed on one end of the shaft and containing a chamber into which said end of the shaft opens, a contact piece supported by the shaft in insulated relation thereto in said chamber, a conductor forming part of the lamp circuit extending through the interior of the shaft and connected directly to said contact piece, said chamber having an opening through the side of the handle, a slab of insulating material lying against said side oi the handle and extending across said opening, a screw extending through said slab and intoy the handle to hold the slab in place, switch elements mounted on the exterior of they slab, a switch terminal in the forzn` of a spring finger mounted on the inner side of said slab and engaged with said contact piece on the shaft, a cover for said switch devices, a screw extending through said cover and into the aforesaid screw to hold the cover in place, and a second conductor on the exterior connected with said switch devices.

NILS A. TORNBLOM. 

